Travelling With Kids – Useful Tips

Ready, Steady, Get, Set, And Go!

Eight years ago on a cold and windy night I entered through those swinging doors cheerfully with a teen- like zeal braving my way across myriad fretfully waiting people to see off their loved ones.

As I tossed my passports and tickets over the counter, I couldn’t help but glee shamelessly and patted myself for having crossed the barricades that was meant for the visitors for a very first time. With a small bag and a book in hand I moseyed around the airport at my will as though that was my final destination.

Fast forward to the present day, I am entering through the same doors but this time only with more fretfulness than those of the people combined together, for the reason that this time am on my own with a ten month old baby! From an insouciant traveler to the most responsible traveler; never knew my definition of ‘travel’ would take a whole lot of another dimension. But it did.

Travelling with a child

Travelling with that energy packed little people can be considered as the highest test one could ask for if they are in a self doubt of their limits of patience and responsibility especially for the mothers. One cannot cease to wonder on how those celebrities like Jolie-Pitts travel habitually with their entourage and six kids on toe. Perhaps this could be the only issue where the experiences of common parents and that of the celebrities are alike.

Few of them are blessed to have kids who are good travelers from the word go but for some it could be a harrowing experience. While recollecting her experience of shifting her base from India to US of A, Mrs.Indubala, a software techie, 33 years, explained how difficult it was to manage her seven year old hyper active daughter and sea of baggage .She further says that “safeguarding the baggage and to taking the kid and self to restrooms to everything becomes an herculean task”. Leave alone taking a long distance trip, even taking a trip to our local grocery store or just a long drive on the road would undergo a complete change with the kid on the toe.

Popular Tips from moms

Whether or not the child is a good traveler, immaculate and meticulous planning on certain anticipatory hiccups that we may encounter should help us in a long way. Below are the most popular tips that were shared by almost all the mothers when queried.

Air travel: If you’d like to be met at check-in and helped with the children and the bags all the way to your plane, ask for ‘meet and assist’ services when booking your flight. This is generally provided by the airport and not the airline, and whether or not you get it depends on the availability of staff – but if you’re travelling as a single parent with more than one child, you’ll be given priority.

Carry some new story books, toys and snacks to keep the kid fed and engaged.

Check in online.

Book hotel accommodations that has at least a small kitchenette and fridge. Carry some ready to eat stuffs so that kids’ don’t stay hungry.

Pack a separate diaper bag if you have an infant and stock all the necessary change clothes to additional diapers to food for the infant

Taking a stroller even if the kid is a walking one will help while doing touristy stuff.

If you are vacationing, set a routine time of when to start out and when to get back to hotel. This helps both the parents and kids to adjust to a routine even during a vacation.

Pack a separate medicine Ziploc that contains – pain killers, anti septic ointments, cold/flu medicine and a vapor rub. This helps for quick healing of any normal ailments a kid may have.

Take a printout of any nearby children hospitals in the area you are staying.

Despite these handy tips, it is quite difficult to crack the code of what being on a perfect travel would be. Sometimes imperfections could just be perfect. Till then Bon Voyage!

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